Road Trip
by Colonel Sho
Summary: My first Digimon story; so be kind. Tai, Matt and the others all decide to go on a trip around Japan; Chaos, Mayhem and Bedlam (perhaps romance) Ensue.


Road Trip

Romance, Rummage Sales and Road Rage

Disclaimer: I own jack all basically...

       It was the start of a fresh summer; the kids would all be starting new classes in the fall. TK and Kari would be starting Junior High; Sora and Tai would be going into their sophomore year; Matt, his Junior year; Joe would be starting medical school; Izzy would be in his first year of High School, beginning life as a freshman and Mimi would be going over seas to America beginning life in the 11th grade. Ultimately this would be the last year they were all together as the Digi-Destined.

And with this unfilled gap of a summer they all agreed that it should be one to remember if it was to be their last together. So the idea of a road trip arose - Matt mentioned something about his band going on tour yada, yada, yada. Tai misinterpreted yada, yada, yada - and so the idea was born.

Somehow - given that TK and Kari are only 10 (going on 11) - their parents agreed to let them go with the older children; apparently it had something to do with the words 'strong bond' and 'responsible, reliable Joe' that eventually persuaded the parental's, (that or the endless 'Can we go on a road trip? Can we go on a road trip? Can we go on a road trip? Can we go on a road trip? Pleeeeeeease?'s that finally made them give in.

       "I can't believe this time 3 years ago we were only just meeting one another." Said Mimi, the emotional quiver still in her voice even though she was entering adult-hood. This earned her smiles and a squeeze on the shoulder from Sora. Sora still looked pretty much the same as she had done 3 years before, except her hair was longer, she was taller and she'd lost that boyish figure. Infact none of them had _really_ changed. Out of all of them TK looked the most different, but he was still as cute as ever.

       "3 years ago I would never have imagined that we'd still be friends." Izzy thought aloud from under a cherry tree with his back to the bark, basking in the cool shade. "Or would have entered the Digital World and saved it a couple of times." He finished modestly.

       "3 years ago I couldn't believe my brother was going to camp and I wasn't." chimed Kari in a flat voice. She of course had met the others much later on in their adventures. The group laughed.

       "Yeah, sorry about that Kari." Said Tai, looking almost embarrassed as he raised an arm behind his head to rub his neck. This also earned a laugh or two; course it wasn't Tai's fault Kari didn't go to camp, it was just the way things had turned out. "Hey, I wonder where Matt and Joe are?" Everyone turned to look around. Matt and Joe were the designated drivers for the trip as they were the only ones old enough to drive; except Mimi who, well, just didn't have the nerve to sit behind the wheel, and Tai and Sora who were only just starting driving school

       "They had to pick up the bus from one of Matt's band members." Izzy informed him. "They shouldn't be too long."

       "I can't wait to see the North Island; where those monkey's take baths in the hot springs." Kari fiddled with the camera around her neck; she had brought it for this trip especially and was itching to use it. She'd already taken one of Tai early this morning; the flash had awoken him looking dazed and confused.

       "Who's got the map?" Mimi enquired inquisitively.

       "Joe." Chorused TK and Tai.

       "Good old reliable Joe." Sora smiled at some memory.

       "I won't call him that until he gets here." Tai was still as impatient as ever. He tapped his foot on the black concrete of the park and folded and unfolded his arms.

       "Someone's anxious." Mimi said to herself, but everyone else heard anyway. 

       Tai's expression softened and he slumped down onto the bench next to Sora. "We're missing a whole season of soccer." He said leaning back and laying his arms along the length of the back of the wooden seat.

       Sora opened her backpack and took out a leaf of creased paper. She opened it up. "I came prepared." On it were listings for every scheduled game; the fields they were being played on; the favoured teams and on the back were directions to each stadium they would pass on their trip. "Just in case." She winked at him and placed in back in her bag.

       Tai was in drop mouthed awe. "Now, why didn't I think of that?" He itched his head.

       "Because you were so concerned about actually missing the game to think about anything else." Izzy explained lifting his head up from the laptop that was laid across his legs.

       "I think Tai was being rhetorical." TK advised; Kari chuckled.

       "Uh, I was?" Said Tai, who was neither sure on what rhetorical meant or what his motivation ... or lack of motivation to think beyond missing the soccer was.

       "Oh, look! There's Joe now!" Sora called out getting to her feet. And sure enough there he was, walking along the pathway that was bathed in the glorious sunshine that came flittering through the treetops.

       "Now he's reliable." Tai said with poise, slinging his backpack over his shoulder. Sora smiled. "Where is his coolness anyway?" He enquired of Joe, meaning Matt.

       "Waiting in the van." Replied Joe. Things were much better between Tai and Matt these days, they didn't argue nearly as much but ... that's not to say that they always got on; they still had their disagreements but they found it easier to except that that was how the other felt and could quickly move on from that.

       "Didn't want to help with the bags then I take it?" Izzy too got to his feet and stalled his computer in its carry bag.

       "Well that's my brother for you." Commented TK, who picked who Kari's bag as well as his own. Sora nudged Tai with her elbow and nodded in his sister's direction for him to see.

       "Thank you TK." She smiled sweetly at him and walked on in front with Mimi and Joe. TK blushed behind her back and struggled on with the bags.

       "Cute." Said Tai and Izzy grinning with their heads cocked to the side.

       "Lesson number one; never carry a girl's bag unless you know she travels light." Tai looked on sympathetically.

       "But tips for being a gentleman." Said Sora over Tai's shoulder. "Here Tai hold this for me; I need to tie my shoelace."

       "Oh sure Sora." She handed him her bag and bent down to tie her lace. "What you got in here? Bricks?" Wondered Tai, judging by how the bag was pulling on his arm socket.

       Sora got back to her feet. "Makes you think doesn't it?" She winked at him then ran off to catch up with the others.

       Tai's mouth was agape as Izzy and TK laughed. "You were saying Tai?"

       Tai regained his cool and shrugged the bag on his other shoulder. "Scratch that. Lesson number one; never - under any circumstances - offer to carry a woman's bag." He said blinking out at the horizon.

       TK and Izzy continued to laugh. "What ever you say Tai."

       "Come on, we don't wanna mess up Joe's schedule." Warned TK, who was willing to bet money on Joe having organised the entire trip weeks in advance.

       All 3 guys ran to catch up; Izzy reached them first because he wasn't weighed down like a packhorse. They were at the van, loading luggage by the time Tai and TK got there.

       "Ah, there you are. Do you two think you could help load up the trunk?" Matt asked, standing in the midst of a sea of bags.

       The out of breath TK and Tai, sweatdropped.

       "That's the spirit." Said Matt, chucking a bag at Tai hitting him in the gut before Tai had even thought about dropping his others bags. He fell back with an 'ophmf' into a particularly high and unsteady pile of luggage, which proceeded to topple over on Tai.

       Everyone was laughing and holding his or her stomachs by the time he fought his way free. Emerging from the wreckage with a pink bra slung casually over his shoulder and a bright yellow sock with pink polka dots hanging from his goggles; Tai blew it out of his face. "Who wears yellow socks?" He asked genuinely confused, because he honestly couldn't figure out why anyone would want one yellow sock let alone a pair with pink fuzzy dots all over them. 

       He got to his feet, widely stepping over the bags to avoid being sucked back into the chaos. He reached the other side and stood by Matt dusting his trousers down. Tai looked up slightly uncomfortable with the unusual silence. Matt's eyes were fixed on Tai's shoulder. "What?" Tai asked, looking puzzled then he followed Matt's eye line to his shoulder. "Oh..." He turned a wonderful shade of crimson and held it at arms length. He tossed it to Mimi who had turned the colour of the bra.

       "Thank you." She squeaked and shoved the clothing into her handbag.

       They all laughed hard except Mimi and Tai who hid their faces. Matt shook his head and chewed his bottom lip instead of falling into hysterics like the others. "O-Kay, let's get moving shall we?"

       "Yeah, let's do that." Said Sora picking her way through the bags. 

       Matt tossed the keys at Joe. "Open her up Joe." Joe caught the keys clumsily and put the key in the door with a shaky hand.

       TK and Kari followed his lead and got in through the middles doors. Kari looked around. "Hey, there's only 5 seats in here; there's 8 of us."

       Matt opened the boot and leaned in, loading the bags. "I'll put in the other 3 in a minute. Mimi and Tai, you two can sit in the back if you like? Seeing as you're both already acquainted with the luggage." Matt cracked.

       Tai came up behind Matt and pushed him forwards. "Then maybe it's time I introduced you." Tai laughed when Matt landed face first into the baggage.

       Mimi sighed. "I think you two should sit in he back together." She climbed into the family carrier and sat between TK and Kari, much to TK's despise.

       "Looks like it's me and you Tai." Said Izzy after all was packed away and the seats were installed.

       "And me!" Called Sora from the navigator seat. She clambered her way to the back where Tai was already sitting, deeply involved in a game of Donkey Kong on his game boy.

       "Dibs on the window seat!" Cried Izzy who moved like lightening and dived in the seat on the far right hand side.

       "Me too!" Seconded Sora who plonked herself on the far left just as Tai was about to shift into that particular seat. Sora poked her tongue out at him as she and Izzy smiled smugly. Tai pouted. "Aw, we'll switch next stop if you like Tai?"

       Tai made a sour face. "Don't patronise me." Sora giggled.

       "O-Kay, are we all in?" Asked Matt who finally took his place in the drivers seat.

       "Yep!"  Chorused TK and Mimi.

       "Yeah." Said Izzy who was already playing on his pineapple laptop.

       "Lets go!" Cried Kari, enthusiastically. 

       "Whatever." Said Taichi through pursed lips and folded arms. Sora nudged him. "Yes," he corrected through gritted teeth.

       "That's more like it." She told him merrily, clapping a hand on his knee making Tai jumped back in the seat knocking Izzy who glared at him with glorified daggers.

       "Uh, sorry Izzy." Tai blushed at his reaction to Sora's hand.

       Up front Joe was fumbling around the dashboard coating it in various complicated maps and papers. Matt rolled his eyes, tuned out the noise from the back seat and turned on the radio, wound the window down and rested an arm on the ledge it provided. 

       The engine started and a refreshing breeze blew through the car silencing everyone. And they were off, pulling out of Odaiba Park out onto the wild and open road not to return from another 6 weeks.

       "Where are we stopping first?" Mimi asked, unaware of the pandemonium her perfectly innocent question was going to cause.

       "Well –" began Joe.

       "I was thinking; drive into Tokyo –" Matt interrupted, risking a glance back.

       "Well actually –" Joe started again, fussing around with more papers.

       "And stay in a cheep motel or something, then set out in the morning and see where the road takes us?"

       "As long as it's north!" Kari bounced in her seat, still wanting to see the North Island's mountains, lakes, forests and beaches more than anything.

       "I've organised –"

       "Sounds great Matt!" Tai piped up from the back.

       "I think we could –"

       "Yeah, I'll check for places to stay on the net." Izzy put in.

       "My plan." Joe sighed; flinging his marked route maps out through the window that Matt had 'conveniently' opened. Joe crossed his arms and sank down in his seat. Everyone in the back let out an inaudible sigh of relief. 

       "And now" Tai stretched out "now we're on a spontaneous road trip, free of rules and organisation." He whispered to Sora and Izzy. He kicked back and rested his feet on the headrest in front of him.

       "Tai!" Mimi yelled – whose head had been comfortably resting on the aforementioned headrest – and began batting his feet away with her handbag.

       "Oo!" Pulling his feet down Tai slopped forwards. Mimi spun around in her seat and clobbered him around the head. Tai crouched in-between the 2 rows of seats and wrapped his arms around his head.

       When he didn't move for the next 5 minutes Sora glanced up at Mini, who was leaning over the back of her seat blowing a huge bubble with her gum. "I think he's stuck."

       The bubbled burst. "I think you could be right." Agreed Mimi picking gum from the corners of her lips.

       "Tai ... are you stuck?" Sora questioned, he amusement coming across in her voice.

       Tai blinked a couple of times. "No ... I'm here for the view." He said cynically.

       "Oh ... ok; he's there for the view." Mimi told Sora again with assurance before turning back around smiling to herself. TK and Kari exchanged worried looks.

       Tai rolled his eyes and grunted as he tried to shove his shoulders through the gap; nothing happened. Sora stifled a laugh – badly – and Izzy chuckled to himself.

       "Need a hand Tai?" Sora asked, trying her hardest not to laugh.

       "First you trick me into carrying your bags; then you laugh at me; then you steal my seat; then you patronise me and now you're laughing at me ... again!"

       "Yes, but I'm offering to help you." She leaned forward, looking down on him all she saw was a bush of hair with two arms draped around it.

       "He's getting better at remembering things." Kari commented taking a sip of her OJ. Tai obviously heard and thumped the back of her chair with his knee causing everyone on the second row to yelp.

       "Well ... Tai would you like a hand or not?" Sora rested her elbows on her knees and smiled smugly knowing that she had power over the situation.

       "Yes please." He said, quickly shoving a hand in her general direction and waving it around.

       Sora grinned, "sure thing." And grabbed him around the wrist. "Up you come." She pulled and sure enough up came Tai gasping for air, landing in Sora's lap and arms.

       "Uh ... thanks." Tai blushed once again and sat ruggedly straight.

       "You're welcome." She squeaked blushing too.

       Matt grinned as he watched the pair of them in the overhead mirror.

R N R plz!

 Tell me if I should continue? And if I do what romance category should it be? Taito (Maybe Matt's look at the end was a jealous one), Taiora (A popular choice, or maybe they are just acting like siblings?) Michi? (They fight a lot don't they?) 

Any other suggestions just tell me!

Go on click on that button you know you want too

(It can only get better)****


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